Many are unaware, but “paint maintenance” is really something you need to do in order to keep that shine on your car, new or used.
Many factors contribute to the beauty of your car paint, and most of them are environmental. One big issue, especially if you live in a big city, is the pollution in the air. Pollutants come from other cars’ tailpipes, smokestacks from factories, and even oil burning stoves some where in your neighborhood. In the country, acid rain, tree sap, pollen, and the rocks and gravel kicked up on the non paved roads. No matter where you live, you have issues that affect the paint on your car.
Just by working to protect your paint, it can add years to the life of your vehicle. Things you can work to protect against are rust, corrosion, and other wear. A paint job that had been taken care of can affect many things, including when your car is appraised, it may determine the difference between an excellent car or one appraised as average, or normal. This difference can actually mean thousands of dollars put into your car just because you took the time to take care of it.
One thing you need to do to protect your car is develop washing habits that are regular, and get the job done correctly. Cleaning the car gives those environmental factors less time to sit on the finish and hurt the clear coat and paint. Hand washing is always the best way to wash your car, or maybe a touchless carwash. You can use a touch carwash, but the brushes and such that they use are capable of leaving tiny scratches in your finish. One things you can do is ask to feel the cloth, and see how rough or soft it is. Then you can make a better decision if you want to use that wash. The tiny scratches that are left can be especially visible on dark finish on sunny days.
Even though hand washing is the safest form to protect your paint, there are still steps you need to take to protect your paint. For one, dish soap has been suggested as a good detergent, but the chemicals used in it can actually wear away at your paint. Most large stores will have cheap car wash detergent, and it lasts a long time, but the best thing is that it is specially formulated for use on cars. Using a soft wash mitt is also important, as a sponge can collect small rocks that scratch your paint. You need to be sure that as you are washing, you constantly rinse out the wash mitt with the soapy water, in order to get rid of those small rocks that can hurt your car. Also, do not swirl when washing or drying, and when it comes time to dry, a microfiber cloth is your best bet. Standard house and beach towels can contain harsh synthetic fibers. By doing this, you can prevents the spiderweb-like scratches.
After you wash, a few more steps can be taken to improve and maintain the finish. One of these steps is to use a polish for automotive paint. This product brings out the showroom shine by bringing out the brightness and richness of the paint color, and it can also help to buff out some of those scratches that appeared. A way to test if the scratch is too deep, take your hand and run your fingernails across the scratch. If they pass over and do not get caught, you should be able to buff it out. A buffer that moves in a random orbit pattern is ideal for the application of polish, it doesn’t have to be expensive, but can still save a lot of work on your part. The buffer is recommended, but if you are uncomfortable using it, there is no reason why hand polishing is not a valid option.
The final stage in the protection of your paint is waxing. If all directions are followed, and the was is applied properly, a physical barrier is formed between the environment and your paint. This means that the contaminants discussed earlier never hit the paint, they hit the barrier if it is applied correctly. Rock chips can also be prevented to a degree with the application of wax. Two main types of wax are available on the market. You can achieve a deep, “wet” look by using carnauba-based products, which are made from special palm tree leaves. Polymer waxes and sealants do not generally provide a glossy shine like carnauba, but they do use a different mechanism to bond to paint. The advantage is that they last longer before they need to be applied again.
With all the factors being thrown at your car, polishing and waxing can give it a long time sheen, but also keep in in the best shape.